Following a lengthy closed beta, the four-year-old startup publicly launched its NoSQL database in August. But unlike most NoSQL data providers, FoundationDB uses ACID properties — which have long been implemented in relational database systems — to guarantee it reliably processes database transactions.

“FoundationDB’s transactional guarantees put us ahead of the pack and allow us to deliver multiple data models side by side as layers,” Dave Rosenthal, CEO of FoundationDB, told VentureBeat this morning.

The company’s data storage engine has found a major supporter in Sutter Hill Ventures, which led a $17 million funding round in FoundationDB. The investment announced today brings FoundationDB’s total funding to around $23 million.

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“I’ve followed the NoSQL space with interest for years, waiting to invest in a company and technology that stood out from the crowd,” said Sam Pullara, managing director of Sutter Hill, who will join FoundationDB’s board of directors.

FoundationDB’s competitors include other NoSQL databases like MongoDB and DataStax. MongoDB last month became the most highly valued startup in New York after it raised $150 million — but it’s also come under fire from developers who say MongoDB’s ideal use case is narrower than it originally appears.

FoundationDB doesn’t hide the fact that it’s not perfectly suited to every task. In fact, it prominently displays a list of “anti-features” on its website. It doesn’t support long-running transactions (over five seconds), for example.

FoundationDB can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud, with support for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X. The company will use the newly raised capital to hire additional staff (with a major emphasis on sales and marketing) across its Vienna, VA headquarters and Boston, MA office. It acquired Akiban in July to close the gap between SQL and NoSQL technologies.